The Way of the Shinobi, Part One
by taylajeangray
Summary: A year after the Great Shinobi War, Naruto is elected Hokage. Everything seems to be going wonderful for Kohona, until Naruto mysteriously disappeared. Sasuke has been asked to take his place while he is gone. But what happens when the truth and lies mix and corruption consumes souls?


**Chapter One**

Shikamaru awoke at dawn, he lay beside an empty space of what should've been his fiancé, Temari. The bitter, but inviting aroma of coffee beans greeted his nose as rays luminous sun glistened in his dark grey eyes.

"Shikamaru?" A familiar and lovely voice asked inquisitively.

It was tender and sweet, like a light embrace from a loved one. "Uh, yeah?" He wiped his eyes before he searched for where the voice came from.

The intellectual shinobi spotted his soon to be wife in the doorway of their room. He smirked noticing she was wearing the maternity dress Ino had bought for her: a deep purple sundress with frills at the bottom.

Even in her pregnant state, she was stunning. Her beautiful platinum, wavy locks framed her sun-kissed face as they lay past her shoulders. Shikamaru's eye gazed at her longingly, like Choji looking at a candy bar-not one of those cheap, one Ryo candy bars. The really expensive chocolate's from the Cloud Village.

"Nice outfit." He teased sarcastically, a light laugh following his statement. The Suna ninja just glared at her almost husband, unamused by what he'd said. "It's very comfortable for your information. I'd rather Satoru not be strangled by my tight ninja gear, thank you."

"That does sound troublesome..." He grumbled smiling, as he slowly arose from his bed, inching towards his beautiful fiancé. The sunlight hitting her features, making her look like a angel from Heaven.

The dark spiky hair shinobi gave a light embrace to Temari, before kneeling to rub her baby-belly. "It's been fifteen weeks already?"

"Yeah..." He said before lightly tracing her stomach with his finger.

Temari bit her lip, "Shikamaru, I have to tell you something..." There was a drastic change in her tone. Her once happy, cheerful voice turned dark.

"Huh?"

"Ugh, Lord Sasuke wanted you at his office last night..." A frown formed on his face, his eyes slightly tensed.

"Why didn't you tell me? This could've been about Naruto?" He asked trying to control himself, he couldn't blow up on pregnant woman—especially if the woman was Temari. He knew better.

"I didn't think was as urgent as my maternal problems..." She admitted, her sea foam eyes not meeting with his.

"Well...it most certainly is, Temari. Do you really trust Sasuke as Hokage?"

"No..."

"Do you want our child to grow up in a Kohona lead by Sasuke?"

"No..."

Shikamaru gently grabbed Temari's shoulders making her parallel to him, his dark grey eyes uncompromisingly glued to hers.

"Then, you need to stop being selfish; I love you more than you will ever know, but you cannot put our family before Kohona. Getting Naruto back helps us all in the long run. The sooner he's back, less we have to worry, understand?" His voice was stern.

"I do, but Shikamaru, I need help... I cannot go through this pregnancy alone."

There was stiff silence between the couple. There was fear in Shikamaru's eyes as stared at his soon to be bride.

"I think the best option for right now is for you to stay with your brothers in Suna." He said in a cold tone, his heart ached after that suggestion.

"If that's what you really want, I'll have the Sand send for my things."

"It's not like that; I don't want this...it's just a much better option, than you staying in an unsteady Kohona, without my complete help. Kankuro and Gaara will have many people medical people to take care of you,"

Temari had suds in her eyes, but being the tough woman she was, she swallowed reeling back the tears.

"Temari, please know, I love you and after all this is over, we're never going to be apart. I swear on my father's grave." Shikamaru said with a lifeless voice.

With that, a whirl of green leaves surrounded the couple until only one of them remained.

Shikamaru sighed holding his chest once he appeared outside of the Hokage Mansion. 'I _am_ a_ fucking idiot...'_ He thought before entering the mansion, going to the Hokage office. "It's about damn time!" Sasuke hissed.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth at the arrogance and anger of his superior. The spiky haired ninja balled his fist; he didn't know why, but...Sasuke made him angry-Sasuke made everyone angry; why they'd chosen him to be the next Hokage or 'Hokage Candidate' was a mystery but there had to be a good reason. The reputation of the Leaf lay on his shoulders.

Shikamaru brushed off any of his personal feelings before fully entering. He didn't want an argument to ensue, he just wanted to find Naruto.

"Good evening..." He cringed before uttering, "Lord Hokage."

" Hello, Shikamaru, I hope that Temari is well. Considering that you put her before your work."

"She has been...quite troublesome lately, but we're not here to discuss that. I trust the Anbu have told you what they believe happened to Naruto."

Sasuke nodded, placing his Hokage hat on his paper-covered desk before folding his hands, his black eyes looking at Shikamaru. They exchanged glares and the tension between them thickened as an awkward silence festered between them.

"I don't believe what they are assuming happened. All of Naruto possesions are missing, I believe he left."

"Without informing Hinata? Naruto isn't so reckless to just abandon his family, the Leaf, being Hokage? He worked so hard to become Hokage, he loves Hinata. He wouldn't just leave all of this behind, like..."

"Like...?"

"Forget it."

"No, tell me, I am intrigued."

"You, Sasuke. Naruto wouldn't leave like that. He isn't that type of person..."

The Hokage growled as he heard Shikamaru insult him. His fingered began to tap on the desk in an irritated matter.

"Then, what do you think happen?" He snapped.

"Honestly...I think you are involved somehow."

Sasuke slammed his fist on the desk, making some of the papers around it fly up. His eyes narrowed at Shikamaru, "Listen and you listen damn good," He said before dissipating in a thick cloud of gray smoke.

The cold chill of a blade pressed against Shikamaru's neck as a cloud quickly formed behind him. "I did NOT do anything to Naruto. Understand?" He growled.

"I believe you..." He grunted.

Shikamaru somehow knew Sasuke wasn't lying, just from how he reacted. But if it wasn't Sasuke... Then, who?


End file.
